What doneness do you want? Are you familiar with the touch/poke test?
Put together your thumb and index finger tip to tip. Using the index finger of your other hand, poke the skin, on your hand between the two. If you then do the same thing in succession with each finger from index to pinky you will get an idea of the feel of the levels of doneness. Touching the middle of each steak and comparing it to what you felt on your hand will give you a good indication of how done the steaks are.

Thumb to index = rare
Thumb to middle = medium rare
Thumb to ring = medium well
Thumb to pinky = well done, which is a level good steaks should never be taken to.

You could also try an instant read thermometer. I just don't remember off the top of my head what temps = what. Plus poking holes in the steak usually results in lose of jucies, which IMHO makes for a bad steak.

Something that thick I'd be tempted to reverse sear. If you are just working within your home's kitchen, I would put it in the oven in a roasting pan or a cooling rack set on a sheet pan at around 300F until the temp gets to 110 or so, then slap it on your smoking hot grill pan to color it up and get the grill marks you want. And going by Craig's chart, you'd be looking for thumb to ring finger. Although pulling it off a bit early and letting it rest will continue the cooking process some.

What doneness do you want? Are you familiar with the touch/poke test?
Put together your thumb and index finger tip to tip. Using the index finger of your other hand, poke the skin, on your hand between the two. If you then do the same thing in succession with each finger from index to pinky you will get an idea of the feel of the levels of doneness. Touching the middle of each steak and comparing it to what you felt on your hand will give you a good indication of how done the steaks are.

Thumb to index = rare
Thumb to middle = medium rare
Thumb to ring = medium well
Thumb to pinky = well done, which is a level good steaks should never be taken to.

You could also try an instant read thermometer. I just don't remember off the top of my head what temps = what. Plus poking holes in the steak usually results in lose of jucies, which IMHO makes for a bad steak.

Craig

Thanks, I tried the smallest steak of the bunch (1 and a 1/2" thickness), earlier today just to test it out.

I let the meat come to room temperature for approximately two hours, and then I started grilling it.

At first, I thought the steak needed some time in the oven, but I liked the way it looked on the outside, so I tried poking a thermometer into it, and it read 125.

I know poking a thermometer is bad, but I also understood it was a necessary evil, since I've never really grilled steak before. I needed to get a true feel for the timing, doneness, etc.

I tossed the grill pan in the oven at 450 for 5 minutes and popped it out.

I checked the temp, and I was surprised to discover the temperature had shot up so quickly. It was now 150.

Overall, the color of the meat was brown with a hint of pink. However, there were thicker regions of the steak, and those areas were light pink. For the most part, I figured I overdid it, and I made some adjustments later on.

The second time around, I cooked two steaks. These steaks were slightly thicker than the first one, but I didn't think it would make that much of a difference.

So again, I cooked it 3 mins, rotated, 3 mins, flipped, 3 mins, rotated, 2 mins, and I stuck it in the oven at 450 for 2 mins, flipped, 2 mins.

One of the steaks, was very thick... about two inches. I decided to leave that in there for an extra minute.

The first one I pulled out was about an inch and 3/4 in thickness. I didn't stick a thermometer this time, because it was for my sister. I would estimate that the color was quite pink. No real blood oozing out, but definitely pink. I'd estimate it to be medium, which was my goal. Mission accomplished.

The second one (2" thickness) that I left in the oven for an extra minute, was a brighter red. This concerned me, because it was for my mom, and she grew up thinking blood in meat = bad. This steak was definitely not the gateway meat to gently introduce her to the pinker side of steak. I would judge that it was definitely medium rare. It was just a vivid pink. My mom stomached it, until she got to the center, where blood slightly oozed out, and she freaked out. Suffice it to say, next time she wants it well done.

If I had to do it again, I'd probably keep the second steak (2" thickness) in the over for at least another 2 or 3 minutes for it to reach medium doneness. So that would be a total of 6 or 7 minutes in the oven if the steak is 2" again.

I want a pink steak with no blood. Hopefully, I'll get a better feel for the process, and I'll definitely start acquainting myself with the finger method.

Something that thick I'd be tempted to reverse sear. If you are just working within your home's kitchen, I would put it in the oven in a roasting pan or a cooling rack set on a sheet pan at around 300F until the temp gets to 110 or so, then slap it on your smoking hot grill pan to color it up and get the grill marks you want. And going by Craig's chart, you'd be looking for thumb to ring finger. Although pulling it off a bit early and letting it rest will continue the cooking process some.

Thanks, I heard reverse-searing is bad, because the whole point of searing, is to lock in the juices. In the past, I didn't know this. I always thought searing was for presentation, and thus the order didn't matter...

Don't forget to let them sit out and come to room temp before cooking.

Yeah, I let it rest for about 3 mins.

Overall, I'd say the steak was on the tough side. I'm more of a burger-and-fries guy, and this was definitely not a steak that would persuade me that on a relative basis, a steak can beat out a burger.

But I also know that sirloin steak is very lean... so no matter how well you cook it, it's still gonna be chewy. My sister commented that hers was pretty tough, even though it was medium.